Aro's Intrigue
by arosic2
Summary: A new vampire, Selena, appears before the Volturi, and Aro is fascinated by her ability. The more they get to know one another, the more their relationship changes and grows. (Characters: Aro, OC. Also this is my first ever fanfic so I hope you enjoy it!)
1. Chapter 1

So this is my first ever fanfic, I have no idea how it's gonna go but I'm giving writing a shot. I am not actually a huge fan of the movies, but I adore Michael Sheen, and I was kind of obsessed with his character in Breaking Dawn P2, inspiring me to write this. He just plays it so well and I want a movie on him and his history. I haven't decided yet what I wanna do about Sulpicia (his wife) since this is an OC romance, but I'll let you guys know when I get to it (PS I'm winging this whole thing :P). Enjoy! And please review and tell me where I need to improve and whatnot.

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Selena walked into the large, round chamber, her heels hitting the cold stone and echoing in the great hall. She wore leather pants that hugged her legs and a corset with blood red and black lacing over a long-sleeved puffy black shirt. She had lived through many eras and fashion periods, and she liked to mix different styles from different time periods. The three leaders of the Volturi sat on their thrones in front of her. On the left sat Caius, a vampire with white hair and a perpetual sneer on his face. He possessed no special ability. On the right was Marcus, who had the ability to read the emotional bonds between people. He seemed detached and uninterested, but with a deep sadness inside him. Finally, the leader of all vampires, Aro, whose power was tactile telepathy, allowing him to see and experience every thought a person has ever had simply by touching him or her. She saw how this power could have allowed him to become the leader. To be able to know everything about a person with one touch—the prospect was terrifying. She was glad that he would not be able to do that to her.

Selena, like many other vampires, had a special power. If a vampire possessed an ability, she was able to render it useless, essentially taking away his or her power when she wished. Additionally, she could sense the powers that other vampires had. Though she already knew of the powers of most of the Volturi members through stories about them, she could also feel them, and her power had quite a large radius. While standing in that room, she could sense every vampire and his or her ability (or lack thereof) within the entire city of Volterra.

She had been summoned there because she had killed one of the Volturi's minions. She had crossed paths with the vampire the week before, and, not recognizing her as an ally of the Volturi, he asked her if she was loyal to them. She told him that no one held her allegiance, and he tried to persuade her otherwise. She kept refusing him, and in his arrogance he attacked her. She easily killed him, being a good fighter and much more experienced than the young vampire. However, the Volturi somehow found out, and several vampires found her and brought her here to be judged.

She stood glaring at the three men before her who obviously thought themselves superior to her and who believed themselves to be her masters, though they had no such claim on her.

"Do you know why you are here?" sneered Caius.

"I believe I killed one of your pets," she retorted, sneering back at him.

Caius did not look pleased with her answer. Marcus looked indifferent, and Aro looked slightly amused. The other vampires in the room seemed to share Caius's sentiment. The twins, Jane and Alec, stood near the leaders with their faces cold and unfeeling. A few others were present, guards and the like.

"What is your name, child?" crooned Aro.

"Selena," she replied calmly.

"Selena," Aro repeated slowly back to her, as if tasting her name on his tongue. "What a lovely name. Why have we never met before, dear Selena?"

"I like to be left alone. Few vampires know of me at all, or at least they didn't until your guy came along and ruined that peace," she answered, trying to stay polite despite her annoyance at the entire situation.

"Well, since you seem to be unaware of our laws, I think we will pardon your transgression. However, your lack of repentance displeases me, Selena. You need to learn our laws and our ways if you are going to live under our rule. I would like you to understand that we cannot have another incident like this. Jane?"

He looked at the girl and she came forward a few steps. Selena could sense her power: the ability to make others feel excruciating pain. Selena reduced Jane's power with a thought, so when Jane looked at her and spoke, "pain," nothing happened. Selena smiled at the confused look on the girl's face.

"That's cute," Selena remarked snidely. Aro quickly sat forward in his seat, his eyes clearly showing his intrigue.

"My, my, what have we here?" Aro was in front of Selena in a moment's flash, and held out his hand to her. "May I?" he asked politely. When he spoke, his voice was calm and quiet. His words flowed like silk over soft hands, soothing to the ear. Of course, she knew that his outer expressions in no way reflected his inner thoughts. Even his politeness seemed like a mask. A moment ago, he had so kindly informed her that she was about to be punished. There was a darkness inside him, and no doubt his mind was filled with chaos. How many lives had he lived through the thoughts of others? Certainly that gave him power over them, but surely that many lives in one head would cause some level of madness. Even with her ability, Selena would have to be very careful around Aro. She instantly reduced his power and held out her hand. Aro took it tenderly in one hand and brought the other hand up to completely enclose hers. He held her hand as if it were a precious object, though he soon realized that he would not be able to find the treasure within. He was surprised and in awe.

"I see nothing," he said, almost whispering. His face showed confusion, but also wonder. Marcus and Caius shifted behind him, curious and perplexed. "Why can I not see anything?" he asked quietly.

"That is my gift," Selena explained, withdrawing her hand from his grasp. She was unsure whether it was a good idea to tell them this. At this point, though, it was too late. She had no other choice. "I can reduce the powers of other vampires and render them useless," she answered matter-of-factly. "I can also sense other vampires and their powers, if they have any."

"Magnificent," said Aro, still gazing at her as if she were a shiny trophy that he wished to acquire. "Absolutely magnificent."

"Yes well, now that that's settled, I'd like to clear up something else as well. I do not live under your rule. I have lived my entire life completely independent, and that is not about to change. You are not my king and I am not your subject. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking my leave. It was lovely to meet you all, really," she added, a hint of sarcasm in her words. She turned and started walking away, but Aro appeared before her once again.

"Not leaving so soon, are you? We have only just met and there's so much I'd like to know about you, my dear," he coolly spoke, a glint in his eyes. At this moment, Selena felt afraid. She had no idea what Aro was planning on doing with her now that he found out her power. She knew his reputation for collecting vampires with special abilities, and she was not about to become one of his slaves. However, she was trapped in his fortress with vampires on all sides. It was her turn to be powerless. She could do nothing now but await her fate and try to survive.


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, chapter 2! And only a day after the first one! I probably won't keep up this pace but since it's my first attempt at a fic, I'm really excited and I just keep wanting to write. I hope you guys enjoy the story and please review :). Also, since I'm making this up as I go along (I'm a horrible planner), feel free to suggest where you want the story to go or what you would like to see happen and maybe I'll put it in ;).

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Selena stood at the top of Mount Everest and took in the view. Mountains like giants encircled her, pure white snow against deep brown rock. Clouds hovered below her, clinging to the lower mountains, and the horizon seemed to stretch out for eternity. The sun was setting a hazy orange low in the sky. Selena let the howling wind fill her ears and emptied her mind of everything but that sound. This was her favorite part about being a vampire. She could climb the tallest mountains in a matter of minutes, completely oblivious to the cold or the altitude, and stand at the top of the world. She was free to go anywhere she wanted, experience anything she chose.

This was the memory that flashed through Selena's mind as she stood facing the leader of the vampire world, potentially close to losing the life she had had up to this point. Aro stood about a foot away from her, and she took a moment to really observe him. He was just slightly taller than her and thin, but not skinny. He wore an all-black suit that was perfectly tailored to his body as well a black tie. It was quite an elegant outfit, and it accentuated his deep black hair, long and brushed back. His face was angular, with high cheekbones and a long nose. His lips were on the thinner side, perpetually in a slight smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. And those eyes—the irises were blood red, like most vampires, but they were old eyes. Though she knew his appearance couldn't have changed since he had become a vampire, looking into his eyes, she felt that they had seen a thousand lifetimes on their own, and with his power, thousands more. As Aro was looking at her, she discerned a plethora of emotions just from his eyes: confidence, greed, curiosity, hunger, malice. She realized that he was quite handsome, even among other vampires. She found him… intriguing. Her whole life she had avoided other vampires, and now she was face to face with one of the most powerful vampires to ever live and instead of feeling intimidated, she felt enticed.

Selena looked straight into Aro's eyes and crossed her arms, giving him a look that suggested he tell her what he wanted to say. Aro placed his hands behind his back and started to walk around her, speaking, "I'd like you to consider joining our coven. A woman of your abilities would be most welcome here." He spoke slowly and carefully, as if making sure that each word that left his lips was exactly the one he wished to employ. She observed him out of the corner of her eyes as he circled her. He was incredibly graceful and seemed almost to float along the stone. His tone, however, was full of confidence, and he seemed assured that she would not refuse his offer. As fascinated as she was by Aro, Selena was not about to throw away her freedom to become a servant doomed to serve the Volturi for eternity.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I'm going to have to decline your offer," she replied sardonically. "I have better things to do than become one of your lackeys."

"How dare you speak to Aro like that!" exclaimed Jane angrily from the other side of the room, lurching forward as if to approach and attack Selena.

"Jane, please," Aro uttered calmly, raising a hand to stop her. Jane stayed in her place, quietly fuming with anger.

Selena chuckled. "Listen to your owner, little girl. Best to mind your manners while the adults are speaking," she jeered. Jane's eyes widened and she growled deep in her throat. Her brother Alec put his hand on her shoulder while glaring at Selena, who at this moment was feeling quite chipper. She glanced at Aro on her right and saw him smiling slightly at the ground after her retort.

"I have a proposal," Aro began, directing his gaze at Selena. "Why don't you stay with us for a few days, see how fulfilling a life you could lead in our coven, and then decide whether you would like to stay or go?" He walked up to her, bringing his face mere inches away from hers. "You don't have anything to lose," he said, donning his condescendingly polite grin. They stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds, each one observing the other and trying to gauge the next move.

Selena whispered to him, "I don't really have a choice, do I?" Aro's grin widened slightly, and her question was answered. "I would be glad to accept your most gracious offer," she declared at a normal volume and in the most civil tone she could muster.

"Wonderful," replied Aro, showing his teeth in a brilliant and eerie smile. Selena tried to mask the fear she was feeling, as well as the anticipation.


	3. Chapter 3

"Santiago," called Aro to one of the guards standing in the hallway outside of the chamber. "Will you please find a room for Selena that she may use during her stay here with us?"

The vampire nodded and left the way he came.

"Now my dear, shall I give you a tour of our lovely home while you tell me more about your gift? Since I cannot learn about it in my usual way, I am especially curious to learn more about it from you."

Aro was talking in a manner even more politely than before. Perhaps now that he had Selena trapped, he wanted to ensure that she accepted his offer of joining the Volturi and so was playing nice. A little too nice for Selena's taste, but Aro himself seemed completely at ease.

She could sense Chelsea nearby, one of the Volturi's guards, known for her ability to manipulate the loyalties of others in order to join. Selena couldn't help but smile at the thought that if Aro wanted her to stay, he could not use Chelsea like he did with other vampires. He would have to try and persuade her the old fashioned way. He was probably used to manipulating and tricking others into doing his bidding, but she would not fall for any of his ploys. In fact, maybe she could somehow trick him into letting her leave alive. For now, she decided to play along until she could come up with some kind of plan.

"Shall we?" crooned Aro, extending his arm for Selena to take.

She looped her arm through his, and together they left the chamber. Selena glanced back at Jane, whose glower probably could have killed a weaker being. Selena felt instantly gratified and chuckled under her breath as they exited the chamber.

Aro noticed, and looking at her he asked, "Is something amusing?"

"Jane seems to be rather fond of you," Selena simply stated.

"Yes, I suppose she does respect me as her leader, and she is very loyal," he remarked.

Selena couldn't hold back a chortle. "Respect? I'm fairly certain that that girl is in love with you. You should be careful, or she might steal you away from your mate," she joked. Aro's polite smile vanished and he looked away.

"That isn't a problem," he said. "My mate is dead."

This surprised Selena, and she even felt some sympathy for Aro. "I'm sorry," she said. "I did not know." Aro did not respond but looked as if he were in deep thought. After a few moments of silence, Selena asked, "What happened to her?"

He didn't reply right away. After a few seconds, he said, "I found my mate when she was in human form. Her name was Sulpicia, and I turned her into a vampire so that she could be my mate," he began. "We lived happily together for many years. One day, my sister and Marcus's mate, Didyme, was killed. I did not want the same fate to befall Sulpicia, so I locked her away in a dungeon."

_Well, that wasn't very nice of you,_ thought Selena.

Aro continued, "Though I tried to make her as comfortable as possible and assured her that it was for her own safety, she was unhappy, and one day she found a torch and burned herself."

He grew silent again, no doubt reliving past regrets. Selena was not quite sure how she felt about this knowledge. Aro seemed to feel remorse at his actions and their consequences, but the fact that he locked away his own mate and essentially killed her was disconcerting. Nonetheless, she brought up the arm that was not looped through his and gently squeezed his shoulder. He snapped out of his reverie and met her gaze.

"I'm terribly sorry," he apologized, chuckling nervously. "It is not often I speak of her, least of all to someone I have only just met." He had seemed almost a different man for a moment, as if the manipulative and malicious skin had briefly peeled away to reveal a tender and feeling center.

Selena smiled kindly at him, and for the first time since she met him, the smile was genuine.

They walked into what looked like a library. It was enormous and filled with thousands of books, many of which looked as if they might crumble at a single touch.

"Now," he said, clearing his throat and motioning for them to take a seat at one of a few tables in the center of the room, "I'd like to hear about you. How is it that I have never heard of your existence until now when you have such a remarkable ability?"

Selena's smile vanished. She was not used to talking about herself to others. She took a seat and began slowly, "When I was bitten, the vampire who sired me drank enough of my blood that he seemed to think me dead and left, but I survived. When I awoke as a vampire, I was completely alone, and that's pretty much how I have lived since. I never enjoyed killing and feeding as much as other vampires. I always preferred to use my abilities for other purposes." Here she smiled as if her thoughts transported her somewhere else. "I travelled the world. I wanted to explore every inch of it with my newfound senses. I climbed the highest mountains and swam in the deepest seas. One time," she chuckled, "I travelled to the middle of a forest, sat myself on a great rock, and closed my eyes. I could hear all of the creatures as they pitter-pattered about. I heard the flap of tiny bird wings and the slithering of long snakes through thick grass."

Aro watched her, mesmerized by her words. She was so full of life and passionate. She seemed unafraid of him, and she spoke so candidly at times. He had been around such colorless vampires for so long that this woman felt like a breath of fresh air. She was such a free spirit that he almost began to feel sorry that he was trying to trap her here: like he was putting a wild bird into a cage.

Her smile faded and she looked down at her hands. "Becoming a vampire, my heart had stopping beating and my lungs no longer needed breath. I felt…dead. And I needed the blood of others to survive. I sucked the life out of them to sustain myself, yet no matter how many lives I took, I always felt just as lifeless and empty as before."

Aro was engrossed. He had never heard anyone describe life as a vampire in that way, and he found himself feeling…sad. Since he had become a vampire, he felt powerful, and he became hungry for more power. Even as the leader of the vampire world, he still craved to add to his strength. Maybe, like Selena, he felt an emptiness inside him and sought to fill it with something.

"Anyway," Selena snapped out of her daydream, "few vampires came across my path. And the ones who did realized that I wanted to be left alone." These last words she spoke with some annoyance in her voice as she shot a glare at Aro.

He smirked at her and uttered, "Perhaps you will find that you enjoy the company of other vampires."

She scoffed. "We shall see," she replied.

* * *

So I changed the story to veer slightly away from canon. Instead of being alive and still locked up, she is dead. I was thinking of having her be killed by Romanians or something, but I thought her committing suicide would not only be more plausible but would also add something to Aro's character. Please review and tell me what you think, or if you would like me to put anything in the story I'll consider anything :)


	4. Chapter 4

"Well then," said Selena, standing up, "we have spent quite some time in the library. Care to give me the rest of that tour or are we just going to sit in here all day?"

Aro regarded her thoughtfully. "You are not a very patient woman, are you?" he asked amusedly.

"Well, I haven't spent centuries cooped up underground, sitting on a throne manipulating the lives of others, so I'm not quite as practiced in patience as some," she quipped back.

Aro's lipped curled into a sneer. "You would do well to learn to hold your tongue in front of your superiors," he said in a low voice.

Selena was irked. "I will say it again: you are not my king. I have no loyalty to you nor do I consider you superior to me in any way," she replied, raising her voice.

Aro appeared in front of her in a flash, anger written on his face. "I am the leader of all vampires whether you like it or not, and you will show me the proper respect," he said. He spoke just as calmly as before, but the cheer and decorum had left his voice to be replaced with fury and indignation.

Selena took a step closer to him so that their faces were mere inches apart. "Why don't you make me?" she challenged, meeting his stare.

They were so close now that Aro could smell her scent, and it stunned him. He could smell the ocean and orange blossoms, summer rain and freshly picked plums, mint leaves and newly fallen snow. Her scent was intoxicating. Suddenly, he wanted to touch her. He wanted to know every inch of her. To look into the deepest, darkest corners of her mind and immerse himself in them. He felt his mind empty of everything but her. Time seemed to slow down as he looked into her eyes, red as blood.

Selena could smell Aro as well, and he smelled of dark red roses, pine trees, sweet wine, leather-bound books, and wild cherries. She found the scent enticing, and she felt as if it were enveloping her body, trying to completely consume her. She wanted to taste him. She could feel his power with her ability, and it seemed to almost pulsate with energy, as if it were trying to burst out of him and grab her in order to learn her thoughts, and she almost wanted to let it. She lost control of her thoughts, and her body felt suspended as she stared into his eyes. Then, her eyes moved down until they reached his soft lips. She felt her body lean forward of its own accord. She glanced back up at his eyes, which looked into hers, hungry with anticipation.

Their lips were millimeters away when the door to the library opened. They both turned their heads and quickly took a step back from each other. It was Santiago, who didn't seem to have noticed anything.

"The lady's room is ready, master," he announced apathetically.

"Yes, thank you, Santiago," said Aro hurriedly. He glanced back at Selena, who met his gaze, then both quickly looked away again.

Aro cleared his throat and said to Santiago, "Would you mind showing Selena the way, dear? I have some business I must attend to." And with that he swiftly exited the library, his light steps sounding on the floor. He didn't look back.

"This way," said Santiago, motioning for her to follow him. They left the library and proceeded to walk down a long hallway.

"So he makes you call him master? I guess you guys really are his dogs," she remarked to the vampire. He did not respond.

They arrived shortly to a wooden door that Santiago opened.

"This is where you will be staying," he stated simply. Then he turned and left back the way they had come.

"Thank you!" Selena called after him. _These vampires spend way too much time shut up in here, _she thought. _They need to get outside and interact with real people a bit._ When Selena traveled around the world to different places, she would go out at night into cities and towns and interact with the people. She had learned to control her thirst when she wanted to, and also how to survive for long periods of time without feeding. The vampires of the Volturi looked as if they only did two things: sulked in the darkness and drank blood. Yet another reason she did not wish to stay here. But now…

She closed the door of her room and looked around. The room was large and richly furnished, with a desk and chair, a lavish bed, and beautiful paintings on the walls. She dropped down on the bed and lay staring at the ceiling, absorbed in thought. What had happened before with Aro? She could still smell him, still picture his eyes and his lips, still feel his body close to hers.

She let out an exasperated sigh. This was the man from whom mere hours ago she wanted to run as far away as possible, and now she was missing his presence. Why was she attracted to him? He was handsome, by human _and_ vampire standards, but it wasn't just that. He seemed deeply intelligent but also not quite stable. He always wore a mask of decorum and kindness, but it was clear that darkness slumbered inside him. She wanted to help him somehow.

She growled at herself. She never meant to feel this way and now that she did, she wanted these feelings to disappear.

She didn't know how much time had passed as she lay there, but it must have been at least an hour or two when she heard a knock at the door. She sat up and for a split second, panicked that it was Aro, but she sensed a different power outside the door and relaxed. It was Marcus.

"Come in," she called.

Marcus entered the room slowly. "Hello again," he sighed. He seemed very tired, which was strange for a creature that does not need sleep. Again, she thought she could see sadness in him, and she felt sorry for the man, though she knew nothing about him.

"Hello," she replied. "What can I do for you?"

He closed the door behind him and turned to look at her. "I have just come from a council meeting with Caius and Aro," he uttered.

Selena was not sure why he was telling her this, but she listened patiently.

"I am sure you are aware of my power," he said.

She nodded. She knew that Marcus could sense the emotional ties between people.

"Well, when Aro joined us after escorting you, I saw that the relationship between the two of you had changed."

If blood were flowing through her veins, her cheeks probably would have flushed. She felt embarrassed and awkward. "It's not—" she began.

"Please," Marcus interrupted her, holding up his hand. "Let me speak first. I do not know if Aro has told you, but his mate ended her life some time ago. My mate was Aro's sister, and she also is dead. She was murdered, but by whom, I do not and most likely will never know, which only adds to the excruciating pain I have felt every day since the day she died," he said.

Selena now understood why he always seemed so sad. To lose one's mate is to lose one's other half.

"You may wonder why Aro does not seem quite as… well, like me. He turned a human into a vampire to become his wife, but they were never completely in love. He just wanted a mate," Marcus explained.

This made some sense to Selena, though she was still unaware as to why Marcus was telling her all of this.

"I know that I have just met you, but you seem like a very down-to-earth woman. I believe that you are exactly the kind of woman that Aro needs," he said.

Selena was startled. She tried to form words, but she did not even know what to say.

"I can sense that your feelings towards him are still uncertain," Marcus continued, "but you should not try to repress them. I know that your opinion of the Volturi is not that high, but if you were to become Aro's mate, perhaps you could change things around here."

Selena was silent. Marcus was so candid and forward and she had no idea how to respond. She tried to divert the subject by asking Marcus, "Why is Aro so obsessed with power and collecting vampires with abilities?"

Marcus sighed. "I am not certain. It may have to do with his past," he said. Upon seeing the questioning look on Selena's face, he continued: "Aro was born in Greece in some 3000 years ago, and he was born a slave. Perhaps when he became a vampire, he tasted power and freedom for the first time, and he always craved more. This is just speculation, of course," he declared.

_Aro had been born into slavery_. This man grew more interesting the more Selena learned about him.

Marcus went back to the door and opened it. "Think on what I have said," he breathed before closing the door behind him, leaving Selena alone in the room.

* * *

Yay first romantic encounter! So I randomly realized while writing this that I haven't yet said what hair color Selena has. Maybe I'll throw it in later when it's more convenient. Also, it is canon that Aro was born sometime in the 1300s BC in Greece, but I made up the slave thing. I think maybe because I just watched Underworld: Rise of the Lycans the other day, and Michael Sheen's character, Lucian (who is so incredibly hot and amazing uggghh), was born a slave. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and review! :)


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